Islamic Universalism

Classical Sunn? eschatology maintains that all those who believe that God is one will enter the Garden of Paradise in due time. Some monotheists may first have to endure punishment and purification in the Fire for their sins, but those with even the least grain of belief will eventually enter the Garden as their reward. Conversely, unbelievers and those who associate partners with God (mushrikūn) will spend eternity in Hell-Fire as retribution for their unforgivable error.11 See W. Montgomery Watt, trans., Islamic Creeds: A Selection (Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press, 1994), for this doctrine in several Sunn? creeds: al-Ṭaḥāw? (d. 321/933) (pp. 53–54), al-Ghazāl? (d. 505/1111) (p. 78), al-Nasaf? (d. 537/1142) (p. 82), and al-?j? (d. 756/1355) (p. 88). See Earl Edgar Elder, trans., A Commentary on the Creed of Islam: Sa‘d al-D?n al-Taftāzān? on the Creed of Najm al-D?n al-Nasaf? (New York: Columbia University Press, 1950), 104–15, for al-Taftāzān?'s (d. 793/1390) explanation of the rationale for these doctrines. Classical Sunnism supports punishment of unbelievers and associators in unending Fire with many verses from the Qur’ān. However, its fundamental warrant for this doctrine is not the Qur’ān but consensus (ijmā‘). The classical Sunn? principle of consensus affirms that when the scholars of the Muslim community have agreed on a matter — that Islam has Five Pillars, for example — it is no longer open to discussion.22 Mohammad Hashim Kamali, Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence, Revised ed. (Cambridge, UK: The Islamic Texts Society, 1991), 168ff.; and Bernard G. Weiss, The Search for God's Law: Islamic Jurisprudence in the Writings of Sayf al-D?n al-Āmid? (Salt Lake City, UT: University of Utah Press, 1992), 181ff., especially 210–11. So, the claim here is that the Muslim community has reached a binding consensus that punishment of unbelievers in the Fire will never cease.33 See for example Ibn Ḥazm, Marātib al-ijmā‘ f? al-‘ibādāt wa al-mu‘āmalāt wa al-mu‘taqadāt, 3d printing (Beirut: Dār al-āfāq al-jad?da, 1402/1982), 193; Sayf al-D?n al-Āmid?, Abkār al-afkār f? uṣūl al-d?n, ed. Aḥmad Muḥammad al-Mahd?, 5 vols. (Cairo: Maṭba‘at dār al-kutub wa al-wathā’iq al-qawmiyya, 1423–25/2002–4), 4:360; Fakhr al-D?n al-Rāz?, Muḥaṣṣal afkār al-mutaqaddim?n wa al-muta’akhkhir?n min al-‘ulamā’ wa al-ḥukamā’ wa al-mutakallim?n, ed. Ṭaha ‘Abd al-Ra’ūf Sa‘d (Cairo: Maktabat al-kulliyyāt al-azhariyya, n.d.), 237; Shams al-D?n Abū‘Abd Allāh Muḥammad b. Aḥmad b. Ab? Bakr b. Faraḥ al-Qurṭub?, Al-Tadhkira f? aḥwāl al-mawtā wa-umūr al-ākhira (Ṣaydā/Bayrūt: Al-Maktaba al-‘aṣriyya, 1426/2005), 2:149; and ‘Aḍud al-D?n ‘Abd al-Raḥmān b. Aḥmad al-?j?, Kitāb al-Mawāqif (with the commentary of al-Jurjān?), 3 vols. (Beirut: Dār al-J?l, 1417/1997), 3:397, which reads, “The Muslims have reached a consensus that the unbelievers will abide in the Fire forever; their chastisement will not be cut off.” This claim has not gone uncontested. In copious writings on the duration of the Fire, the Damascene theologian Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya (d. 751/1350) — the leading student of the famed Ḥanbal? jurist Ibn Taymiyya (d. 728/1328) — presents what may well be the most forthright challenge to the alleged consensus on this doctrine in medieval Islamic thought. The case for the limited duration of chastisement in the Fire did receive careful consideration earlier on as is evident in the vast Qur’ān commentary of Fakhr al-D?n al-Rāz? (d. 606/1209).44 Fakhr al-D?n al-Rāz?, Al-Tafs?r al-kab?r li-l-Imām al-Fakhr al-Rāz? (Cairo: Maṭba‘at al-bahiyya al-miṣriyya, 1357/1938), 18:63–67, in commentary on Q. 11:107. After surveying the textual and rational proofs of those who say “that the chastisement of the unbelievers is limited and has an end,” al-Rāz? evaulates the arguments of “the great majority” who “have agreed that the chastisement of the unbeliever is perpetual” (p. 63). Nonetheless, Ibn al-Qayyim's discussions appear to be unprecedented in their thoroughness and length. In his argumentation, the Fire no longer functions retributively to punish as in the classical doctrine but therapeutically to cleanse from sins, even the sins of unbelief (kufr) and associationism (shirk). Does then the punishment of unbelievers come to an end? Does the Fire pass away when its purposes have been attained? will scholars have that Ibn these to a doctrine of of his that to this is not as as it first This discussions on the duration of punishment and the Fire Ibn that come from the of his have in as the and most of Ibn al-Qayyim's on the for example in b. Ibn Taymiyya wa Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya Dār ‘Abd b. wa f? and and Ibn wa Ibn Taymiyya wa Ibn wa of to G. for the to in Ibn al-Qayyim's writings in his the eternity of the these be and not on the a on have not an for in Ibn al-Qayyim's vast and no is here to a of his on this this to Ibn al-Qayyim's in the to his Ibn and the which the classical Sunn? Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya first the of chastisement with Ibn Taymiyya in an in his of the Ibn Qayyim f? wa wa wa ed. Muḥammad and (Cairo: Dār to will appear in the God his to is and no Some that when in the commentary of ‘Abd b. one of those have So, the to in his that the and the to is for and not what it his it — the of God be has the of it and one is one who is (pp. that Ibn Taymiyya not to to Ibn al-Qayyim's first on the duration of the that the Ibn al-Qayyim's the commentary of ‘Abd b. as a from (d. ‘Abd b. not of ‘Abd b. A ‘Abd b. Ibn So, the in the and it to his This in his the of his In Ibn Taymiyya what Ibn his The of this and its will be In the Ibn to the from ‘Abd b. earlier in A from ‘Abd b. the from b. a of the and the Sunn? the of the Fire in the Fire the of of a in which come (p. The to a of in the on the to b. ‘Abd Allāh Kitāb (Cairo: Maṭba‘at and the the of of in a great of time. the is that those in the Fire will it even for a time. the in Ibn that on the eternity of punishment in will A from the a to that of will come to a when no one will in The example will The Ibn is to have is not for to God with to to to a a (p. Ibn these to the classical Sunn? consensus that unbelievers and associators will spend eternity in the that Ibn al-Qayyim's most of the duration in his on eschatology on to the of Ibn Qayyim ed. ‘Abd al-Ra’ūf Sa‘d (Cairo: Dār al-kutub n.d.), in A on one of it to with the Ibn its in the This is in the of the of ‘Abd Maktabat f? vols. This of in have no to this but it be to have it as Some the Muḥammad b. (d. in his and Ibn and Ibn Taymiyya with that Hell-Fire will pass away Muḥammad b. ed. Muḥammad al-D?n (Beirut: it has not been what be Ibn Taymiyya from the in a the Ibn that is Ibn not Ibn from his the that is which his scholars have been to Ibn Taymiyya the duration of the Fire in his this even in that Ibn Taymiyya never that the Fire will pass to the in a “The and of Paradise and in Islamic that Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya that the Fire will pass to Ibn this from but for Ibn Taymiyya not to of his writings it has been to to this for Ibn Taymiyya is “The and of Paradise and in Islamic Islam especially earlier come to the Ibn Ibn al-Qayyim's arguments in and that affirms the of the and The Islamic of and University of Press, Ibn al-Qayyim's arguments in and that “the of the (p. However, and that this is the doctrine of the Muslim community (p. and the to the of Ibn al-Qayyim's from Ibn Taymiyya and the is In Muḥammad and a Ibn Taymiyya and it the wa to that the Garden and the Fire will it for the this is Ibn wa ed. Muḥammad b. ‘Abd Allāh Dār the on to Mohammad for to this and it to on and the of University of of the as the but with and an earlier Muḥammad al-D?n a of in the to his of to and with of the on This is the that Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya in and it the of his in that will Ibn the and arguments in the as Ibn Taymiyya but with and Ibn Ibn al-Qayyim's in as but to a Ibn in of Ibn al-Qayyim's in Ibn that his ‘Abd b. to Ibn Taymiyya and that his with is to that this is Ibn careful to ‘Abd b. commentary and the from that Ibn of Ibn Taymiyya in his that This is which has to be the that Ibn Taymiyya Ibn to the for to this In a of Ibn his Ibn (d. his f? wa in Ibn Ibn in Ibn ed. Muḥammad Shams and b. Muḥammad Dār This of Ibn earlier to Ibn Qayyim Ibn ed. al-D?n Shams and that this their arguments in Ibn of The not the from Ibn However, the and Shams and that Ibn Taymiyya an on the in the in as as the and the as The in presents this and as the (d. Ibn wa wa is the that in the and al-D?n has al-D?n b. wa ed. vols. (Beirut: Dār in the on Aḥmad b. ‘Abd in is in of Ibn Muḥammad b. Aḥmad b. ‘Abd min Aḥmad b. Taymiyya (Beirut: Dār al-kutub n.d.), Kitāb ed. in and Muḥammad b. wa ed. (Beirut: Dār in Kitāb and the that al-D?n Ibn to Ibn is here al-D?n did in a of Ibn in and this will be to the it is evident that and Ibn to the and that this the that Ibn Taymiyya his in the of This in Ibn and in al-ākhira The Ibn and on the of this and See Ibn wa vols. (Beirut: Maktabat and al-D?n Aḥmad b. ‘Abd f? ed. (Cairo: Maṭba‘at dār al-kutub al-miṣriyya, in and in the these may that Ibn Taymiyya his in to an from Ibn the duration of punishment and the This Ibn of his in the of Ibn then his several in when his of the duration in and when on the in Ibn (p. and Ibn al-Qayyim's in (p. on the of the Garden and the pass the Garden the Fire The first of these is in the first of The is in the The is in the and The in Ibn al-Qayyim's The and in Ibn verses that the Garden will (pp. Ibn not on to this matter has to it earlier in (pp. with The first of (pp. and the in (pp. to the of b. (d. and the theologian that the of an that the Garden and the Fire eventually to a not that the will pass away but that in Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn that an the is and that the of the verses is perpetual” this is which is never The of textual for the Fire away least that no one will chastisement in it (pp. Ibn al-Qayyim's in (pp. of Ibn and Ibn Taymiyya with ‘Abd b. the of the Fire in the Fire the of of a in which come b. this Ibn when the that the of will be in it for of to that of have an Ibn Taymiyya several that of to a of length. this with classical Sunn? it be that the to and the spend in the Fire the al-Rāz?, Ibn Taymiyya that this is not The to that Ibn Taymiyya in this is that several Ibn is not for to God with to to to a a to the claim that the of the Fire will be in the Fire, as as the and the as in the Fire is not Ibn Taymiyya it is the of this and — as Ibn — God's The of Ibn (pp. and the in Ibn al-Qayyim's (pp. and arguments for the of the the first of these and the will be first it is This is the that the Qur’ān supports the of the In Ibn Taymiyya that the Qur’ān that unbelievers in the Qur’ān never that the Fire will not pass to be a unbelievers abide in the Fire the Fire pass Ibn Taymiyya that the of will abide in the of chastisement as as that chastisement The and not be in and This is the to textual that Ibn Taymiyya in the of The first and for the of the Fire is that it is consensus with no it the the Ibn Taymiyya that no consensus on this is one the that the Fire never pass and the the the on the Ibn Taymiyya is no consensus that the Fire will This of consensus Ibn Taymiyya from the Sunn? scholars of his and it is the to his and Ibn al-Qayyim's Ibn the binding consensus is an consensus of the the first consensus to consensus a of scholars is to of a The Ḥanbal? of and Ibn and Aḥmad b. (Cairo: when Ibn Taymiyya that no the on the duration of the Fire, is to the In classical on which consensus have been reached no longer open to So, of this Ibn Taymiyya is the of classical Sunn? This in al-D?n (d. 756/1355) a of in Ibn al-D?n wa ed. Ṭaha (Cairo: Maṭba‘at never Ibn Taymiyya in this of come a a (p. The his that is to Ibn al-Qayyim's This is is that to well the that his (p. is that is to Ibn earlier of what in the of his from Ibn that Ibn to in from not in Ibn that in to Ibn al-Qayyim's of to verses the eternity of the Fire, the of the “The doctrine of the Muslims is that the Garden and the Fire will not pass Muḥammad b. has that this is consensus and that it is an unbeliever (p. to that the Fire is not is to this in the is careful to that not an unbeliever (pp. is to Ibn that no consensus the first that the that the Fire pass then that of the not be as verses in the Qur’ān and in the This is especially in of doctrine which Muslims agreed (p. that consensus be of a However, that this has on this and then the of a that the of the to which Ibn Taymiyya be as a of the (p. the classical consensus is binding and earlier be in its from consensus is In a on Paradise and the Fire, Ibn of consensus that the Fire will not pass and maintains that this is “the doctrine of the of the and the ‘Abd Allāh wa (Cairo: Dār in as Paradise and in the of the Qur’ān and Islamic that Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn on this doctrine but not be as in from and will be been of the have to the scholars that with what eventually the consensus of the Muslim (d. for that the the of the the the of not of the Qur’ān consensus reached that it b. that a who not did not have to it agreed in due that a in with not the it is that a consensus of the Ibn the on this the for and doctrine that Ibn is the eternity of the Fire, and in this is Ibn The of Ibn (pp. and the longer in Ibn al-Qayyim's (pp. as a of the Garden and the In arguments for the of the Garden and the limited duration of the Fire and chastisement in Ibn Taymiyya The first textual for limited duration of the Fire and not be The The that God's and the of the The Garden as from God's and especially God's and may it is not from God's This of not that chastisement in the Fire will pass that is and this is in the Ibn Taymiyya his that God's all The Qur’ān has for in the Allāh Qur’ān f? those in Muḥammad Dār n.d.), in Muslim Islamic So, Ibn Taymiyya God's chastisement In the Ibn Taymiyya that God has a in that God in chastisement is and its is from sins and Ibn Taymiyya even what God have in chastisement with the of his In classical God not for The explanation for what God is that God have Ibn Taymiyya the arguments that this and maintains that God for purposes — and all — that this is the those when Ibn Taymiyya is God's purposes in of the that and the and sins, and the of is and to and in the and of God Ibn especially this Ibn Taymiyya to the doctrine that the Fire is from the of and Ibn and the that their Fire Ibn of a God who all and to and This with a in the of Ibn al-Qayyim's Ibn the that God from the to in the that God not to be an unbeliever is no as unbelief and associationism that be and no one is the of for the God with a to God and and God's in chastisement is not but (pp. The punishment of the Fire is not a matter of retribution but Ibn and punishment the to not the Fire is the (p. The be to — that a to and that the for the be the most of The one who is with the Fire, to the matter the (p. Qayyim and the in in is not of to the but the of Ibn al-Qayyim's See in this “The of the A Ibn Qayyim in and in the and of the and the in and ed. and Ibn in be no in punishment for be of no to God God is from the punishment of the not the of God's and it is of no to those who and chastisement be a to a (p. to Ibn Ibn in that the Garden is a of God's and the Fire a of God's that God's will God's it that the of God's will the of God's (pp. Ibn God's and no God's and not and not to (p. is no for the Fire not to Ibn is not in the that and that and be in (p. Ibn Taymiyya never in that the Fire and its chastisement will pass However, this is the of his and it is not that this to Ibn Taymiyya with the classical Sunn? consensus that the Fire is to the of the and on to the and arguments from God's and to the Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya the and Ibn and in on his is most evident as Ibn his rationale for the Fire and its The and of God to the of and retribution from Ibn al-Qayyim's the of his in and that has arguments for of the Ibn the of In and that this the of b. Ab? the and This is that it is that and have not on the that it of Ibn al-Qayyim's but that affirms the of the it from that Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya that the Fire will pass Ibn this on the duration of chastisement in the Fire in his Ibn Qayyim is a on and in the of Ibn Ibn a of in which God in the for not that is to those who but it is in God's In the of Ibn of one of which is Ibn the from chastisement that not (p. Ibn al-Qayyim's in first the of the God's and textual that chastisement in the Fire not (pp. a of proofs for the of the Fire (pp. and an of the Garden and the Fire (pp. The of this to Ibn al-Qayyim's and Ibn but in Ibn the and with This that is However, has been on a of Ibn al-Qayyim's to this is that is Ibn in Islam University of Press, The arguments in those of and not be However, Ibn in what from God's in a and Ibn that and of God and what from God's the Fire, not have to what chastisement is to not from God's of but from God's and not chastisement then be it from these of Ibn this these even when chastisement has its is not that God's of and no longer when chastisement is that God's and when chastisement is to an the of these which in come the of God's is Ibn it is from and and of from is of their it is chastisement from and The when what is is from and The of this in the Dār of is and has been to the of Dār al-kutub n.d.), and its not the of and However, when it is with and is with and and not and not the that that that and that from and (p. from the most in the of Ibn al-Qayyim's his with Ibn Taymiyya that the this — and then his have Ibn his in b. Ab? and the duration of the Fire to God's In this the of several of the In this the of the of the b. Ab? — God be with that the of the Garden enter the Garden and the of the Fire enter the that and then God with what the doctrine of ‘Abd Allāh b. — God be with of — is not for to God with to to to a a this in his commentary on will Fire will be in it as God the doctrine of “The Qur’ān to this the doctrine of as is of what the doctrine of Ibn has what for the of the never cut did not what for the of the The “The Fire and its chastisement of God's is a God what will it not to what then it is of the not to God (p. the of this from Ibn arguments for the of the Fire from God's in not have a from the Qur’ān and the that the Fire will pass Ibn did not what for the of the Ibn Ibn consensus the on the and it that the classical Sunn? consensus on the is of no to Ibn have has from of the and that will eventually the has from Ibn and the matter to God's has arguments from God's and that the Fire will pass Ibn his arguments to the in of that the Fire will pass but this not in as in his arguments and his with the of from the the duration of the Fire be to God's it that Ibn is not with this In a the in the Ibn al-Qayyim's is an of which is in the the of b. Muḥammad who the on a of it to that Allāh have been and that However, is not Ibn al-Qayyim's his in it is in in Ibn Qayyim Kitāb wa ed. b. Muḥammad printing Dār See for of this is its on The writings Ibn al-Qayyim's and in in several that and The of and the which it is the first of the The Allāh to the the first not the duration of the Fire, that Ibn this in an of the of Ibn al-Qayyim's Muḥammad b. (d. Ibn Qayyim wa Muḥammad b. ed. b. ‘Abd al-Raḥmān Maktabat This is a of and it is the of (Cairo: Dār which have See (pp. for of this to Muḥammad b. Muḥammad b. ‘Abd as Ibn The that then presents is may on a to an of Ibn al-Qayyim's and The of and the to the of Ibn of the of the as of of is the great of in but not Ibn of the that Ibn al-Qayyim's See to The of b. ‘Abd al-Raḥmān that of Ibn al-Qayyim's arguments and but a of his the of the See to In Ibn the on the Fire in with this due to to the of Ibn al-Qayyim's to warrant the of will to from here on as Ibn al-Qayyim's Ibn the duration in in the of a on the of (pp. of the here is in and is no longer on Ibn to his This that is and Ibn that God's in the of and of is to the from the and to which to in the of is that this is of no to and his to unbelievers who to in God's (pp. Ibn to this in The first (pp. and the (pp. not with the duration of the Fire and not The the of arguments in and the eternity of the Fire and for its away to that will from God's with the Ibn never that will enter the but this is (pp. Ibn al-Qayyim's arguments in from the to the The with the that God's will all (pp. The alleged consensus on the eternity of the Fire is not the (pp. the Ibn the of the and the the Fire a that God to and (p. and that the and of will pass away and that which is for the of God's will (pp. the of his Ibn his fundamental and evident that the and in the of the Fire that it as as the and the for which it the and the has been the matter to the (p. A in that have not in the of unbelief with God's and Ibn to to chastisement for unbelief and associationism that of limited to al-Rāz?, the of of duration with Fire is one of rational those who Q. to that chastisement of unbelievers will The is that punishment is of no to an Ibn in what here and in and be that punishment is for who least to in unbelief and associationism Ibn that this no is that the of chastisement will the is not in to in these and to from for a (pp. on In Ibn the on the duration of chastisement that as his in and This it in his the of his on God's Ibn not the matter to God's those who not his and rational arguments to their and and even his to believe that all chastisement will come to an an for those who who say that the chastisement of unbelievers is a to and a to this and not its what to is in chastisement that not that is of the of the — is this and it its due that with the of and with what and the of and with what the and those not to to the of what is on is then the to what God it in and to the of b. Ab? — God be with that the of the Garden enter the Garden and the of the Fire enter the their God what (p. the Ibn on his to the arguments from God's and the from and the and rational of to that chastisement will pass be of to those who Ibn the matter to God's is evident that Ibn has his and that chastisement will and the Fire pass on in in of this In on the duration of Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya a and a of from his Ibn the to consensus the first Muslim a consensus the is this not on the eternity of the Fire, the classical Sunn? consensus on this matter is from the of the that chastisement in the Fire will the to God's Ibn Ibn of of God's and God's will The Fire is a great that and even unbelievers and Ibn these arguments his but in and to as his the duration of the Fire to God's from the and that chastisement in the Fire will In the Ibn his and the from God's to its that chastisement will come to an for The of God's and the rationale of the of retribution in the doctrine of an on the duration of the Fire and the chastisement of unbelievers in it for an Islamic Ibn on his to the classical consensus that the Fire will This is a even as Ibn on Ibn The to in the Muslim of Ibn al-Qayyim's and for it has been in the a of for the to to the of the Ibn Qayyim as well as for the an of with which to classical Sunnism and its from Ibn al-Qayyim's on the duration of the Fire, this open for

Creed · Doctrine · Eschatology · Islam · Paradise · Political science · Theology · Warrant · Islamic Studies and History · Islamic Thought and Society Studies · Law · Medieval and Classical Philosophy · Philosophy · Religious studies · Religious Studies

• Al-Asy'ari's Thought as a Middle Way in Islamic Theological Debates

  Open Access•Indra Fauzan, Yofiendi Indah Indainanto•Pharos Journal of Theology•2026

  Add to list

• The Mamluk Sultanate and the Mamluks seen by Ibn Taymiyya

  Open Access•Mehdi Berriah•Arabian Humanities•2020

  Add to list

• Would God Really Send Me to Hell for Stealing a Wispa Bar

  Open Access•Nikk Effingham•Sophia•2024

  Add to list

• Такфūр Аверроэсом ал-Газāлū

  Open Access•Саджа Парвизян•American Journal of Islamic…•2024

  Add to list

• Ishmael as Abraham's Sacrifice

  Younus Y Mirza•Islam and Christian–Muslim…•2013

  Add to list

• The unreality of traditional Islamic theism's views on belief, providence, and eschatology

  Open Access•Imran Aijaz•Religious Studies•2025

  Add to list

• Principles of Islamic jurisprudence

  Mohammad Hashim Kamali•Principles of Islamic jurisprudence•1991

  Add to list

• Islamic Creeds

  Open Access•William Montgomery Watt•Islamic Creeds•1994

  Add to list

• A Commentary on the Creed of Islam

  Franz Rosenthal, Earl Edgar Elder•Journal of the American Oriental…•1951

  Add to list